WINNIPEG – A Winnipeg musician wants the city to adopt clearer rules for busking.
Lee Raito has written an open letter to Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman urging city council to adopt a busker bylaw or to outline where and when they can perform.
“We should have a good set of rules for musicians in Winnipeg and mimes and anybody else who wants to perform,” said Raito.
Raito said he would like to busk but the lack of rules and a well-known street musician being ticketed for performing downtown have prevented him from doing it.
“I want to busk but yeah it absolutely has prevented me from going out and performing because it’s just not clear,” said Raito.
Raito is taking the idea to City Hall on Monday morning to a committee of four city councillors.
In an email to Global News the chair of that committee, city councillor Mike Pagtakhan wrote, “Winnipeg is a creative city and encouraging busking is in line with a creative culture. Council will need to understand all issues around a potential by-law and plan for it if Winnipeg will adopt it.”
Raito hopes if new rules or a bylaw are established it will open the door for more buskers to perform all over the city.